


Weaving, Tripping

by Ilthit



Category: City of Hunger (Video Game), Stand Still Stay Silent
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-09
Updated: 2019-08-09
Packaged: 2020-08-13 12:58:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 861
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20174650
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ilthit/pseuds/Ilthit
Summary: Ficlets for the 300bpm challenge and for Lunarium.





	1. Water-Strider

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Lunarium](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lunarium/gifts).
**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stand Still Stay Silent

_Sometime in the future_

Reynir crawled into the bunk, folding his long form to fit into the tight confines. Whoever designed this ship had clearly not counted on tall crew members. Every part of his body ached. Hauling sheep around all day was hard work, but it was nothing to a day of unloading a cargo ship, especially with bruises all along his thigh and side from when a fellow member of the crew had ‘accidentally’ tripped him down a short flight of stairs. 

Just one more week and he’d be in Finland. Specifically, he’d be with Lalli, in the waking world as well as in his dreams. He flicked his braid behind him and closed his eyes tight, ignoring the dull pains. 

When he opened them again, he was already running on the dark waters. His place was behind him, but he could feel it in his heart. He knew exactly where it was and he where he was heading. The light loomed ahead, that distinctive glow interlaced with shadows and reflections. He burst through the opening, smashed through the waterfall that somehow never got him wet for long, and into Lalli’s place. He didn’t bother skipping on the rocks, but left a trail of his footprints on the surface of the water.

What if Lalli wasn’t here tonight? He hadn’t seen his boyfriend for almost a week. He’d told himself he must be out scouting by the time Reynir’s shift ends. He had run faster this time, just to catch him before he woke up for the night.

And there--there he was. A small figure ran along the trail planks towards him, much faster than Reynir could ever run. They collided at the water’s edge, teetered and splashed, tangled, into the water.

“I missed you so much!” Reynir cried as they spluttered up out of the clear water. “Were you scouting? Are you all right? Are you living on one of the capital islands? I don’t know where I should head once I get to Pori. I missed you _so much_!” He wrapped all limbs around Lalli and nearly drowned them all over again.

“I’m fine,” said Lalli, coughing up water, once they finally dragged themselves up on to the mossy ground and from there to sit on the planks. “You still talk too much.”

“I know,” Reynir admitted, and hugged Lalli close more carefully this time. Lalli allowed it, resting his head on Reynir’s chest with a sigh.

“...You’re hurt.” Lalli traced his fingers along Reynir’s side, where a shadow lingered.

“Only in the other world. I’m okay here. And it’s just bruises.”

Lalli’s fingers curled against Reynir’s side in a way he’d come to know meant Lalli was thinking about murder. He kissed Lalli’s temple as a distraction, and took those curling fingers, placed them on his own cheek. “Not long now.”

He loved how open Lalli’s face was when they were like this, when it was just the two of them. He didn’t love the distress that always hovered at his edges, but he loved that he could be there to kiss it away, stroke his cheek until those ice-blue eyes closed and his jaw softened.

They kissed at the water’s edge as small white flowers opened among the moss, like stars coming out across an evening sky.


	2. Bubble

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> City of Hunger

The lights outside their hotel room window blinked and shimmered, a broken sign popping and vibrating. 

They hadn't been back in the City for even a full day yet and Lalli had had enough of it. At least out there in the wasteland the _detail_ of everything did not crowd his thoughts; the noise of the world became a hum, a howl, the clicking of approaching enemy legs, and the whirring of his own mechanics. The City was always too much of everything. He noticed that more, now. It bothered him more, since their last trip out. 

But they had been soundly beaten, and they were all tired, and they needed this. 

Reynir seemed to understand, because the medic said nothing as he carefully mended Lalli's shoulder piece, wiping away blood with endless pieces of cotton as the torn flesh reconnected into the wiring. Usually Lalli hated being fussed over. Even now a part of him--most of him--wanted to swat Reynir's hand away, but he waited patiently, even though the painkiller in the disinfectant salve was wearing off. 

In the next room over, he could hear Mikkel's voice, Sigrun's laugh, and Emil hammering away at that firethrowing contraption of his that Lalli was pretty sure was illegal within city bounds. It wasn't the kind of hotel that cared. 

He closed his eyes and the tension in his shoulders relaxed. The noise was all far away. Nothing to do with him. He could block it out, here in this little bubble of silence. 

Reynir patted his shoulder, a wordless sign to show his work was all finished. Lalli leaned back against his warmth. Reynir stiffened, but then relaxed. He rested his cheek against the back of Lalli's head. This close, Lalli could hear his heart. 

He just wanted the quiet to continue for a moment longer.


End file.
